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Topic Review (Newest First)

09-07-2007 12:09 PM

mikez

Sounds good Jim!
If you troll with flies is it still considered FLYfishing?
I'm hoping to do some more run&gun now that I have replaced my intermediate. The sinker just didn't cut it at high speed.
When you used the word "fatigue" you reminded me of another issue I have which is that casting and fighting fish for 12 hours without a break is taking it's toll on my aged body. As I approach the half century mark I'm gonna have to consider cutting back some.
NAAAH! That'll never happen. I'll just save my pennies and get a new rod!

09-07-2007 11:30 AM

JimW

Don't worry Mike come boneclave, jump on with me for a day and we'll troll.

If it is fatigue I'm willing to bet it's not casting that did it in but those cows you catch.

Worst case we break it up into pieces and send it back to Sage. My T & T is unfortunately not going to make the clave, broke the tip high stickin' again. I was just landing a damn schoolie too.
I do have a spare 10wt. I'll bring along if you want to try that with your line.

09-06-2007 10:23 PM

PopnesetBay

I wish I had the problem with albies stretching out my new line!!!! Obviously you got the fly where it needed to be, when it needed to be there and the fly looked good!!! You also might experiment with leaving a little of the head "on the rod" and see if that works. The idea of swapping rods with a fishing partner, especially if you both cast about the same, might give you an idea whether it is operator or equipment malfunction.

09-06-2007 09:50 PM

mikez

I regret not asking to try one of the rods my buddy had on board that day. At that time it didn't occur to me it was the rod.
Either that or given him my rod to try. Truthfully I was too ready to accept that it was my shortcoming and never thought of the gear.

I like the theory that the lines have changed over the years. Makes perfect sense. Too bad the albies and big blues stretched out that new line today. Maybe I coulda exchanged it for a 9 weight.

The fishing fund is expended for this season so I'll have to live with the gear I got for now. Actually, that's what I said last year, and the year before and the year before...
Sheesh! I gotta start puttin some of these kids to work!

09-06-2007 09:34 PM

jfbasser

A number of years ago, my partner and I purchased a half dozen top quality freshwater spinning rods. After one year of hard fishing we noticed that all of the blanks had fatigued considerably. We did not notice it casting as much as fish turning and control capability.

Also, run & gun boat fishing can certainly throw you off kilter abit. If you are used to fishing on foot and you don't wait till the boat stops to cast it can certainly throw slack into your shore stroke. Adjustments can be made for the residual boat motion, but it is certainly a different stroke than a shore stroke. Wind direction and required casting direction is also more variable on a boat.

Try someone elses rod and see if you stroke comes back for starters.

09-06-2007 09:31 PM

PopnesetBay

Wore Out?

I am nothing more than, at best, an advanced beginner, in the art of fly casting but I suppose anything is possible. There may be some breakdown in the fibres in the rod. I wonder though, have you tried casting a 9wt line on it? There has been so much "improvements" (so say the mfgr's) in lines in the past 3 yrs that you may find the rod handles todays 9wt line like it did "yesterdays" 10 wt. Many head lengths, of WT Fwd lines, have changed, to deal with the "faster" rods of today. If you still have an old line that you felt comfortable with, try grass casting it and then try new line...just a thought. Sounds as if you are in the market for a new rod, so justify it by declaring the old rod an antique, ready to be relagated to the corner of the closet!

09-06-2007 09:06 PM

mikez

I'm starting to think I wore my rod out!

No wise cracks please!
Seriously, I've been struggling for awhile with what seems to be declining casting ability. It seems I have developed bad casting habits somehow and I actually cast more like a beginner now than when I was a beginner [a looong time ago]. Lack of distance, trailing loops, wind knots, casts that just pile up in a heap all make for frustrating effort.
Today it occured to me that maybe it's not all my fault. I throw a nine weight Sage which is over ten years old. I don't remember what model it is and the writting is faded on the blank. When I bought it, I was told that it would throw better if I went up a line size from the rating. That seemed to be true and I have always bought ten weight lines ever scince. For a long time that was fine. Then I started developing casting issues. I have mostly just limped along and lived with it. I got away with it because so much of my fishing is close range. A recent embarassing experience running & gunning tunoids from a boat brought it to the fore front however.
Anyway, today I was throwing a brand new line, a ten weight, and having some difficulties. I started thinking the rod was being overloaded which got me thinking maybe the rod is getting played out.
Is that possible? Do rods decline over time? anyone ever encounter this?
I know I do have casting issues I need to address but now I'm wondering if there's more to the story. Any opinions?
Also, can anyone refer me to a book or website that might give me some help with my casting problems?